It’s because of the BBC…

I think most of us have that moment, we were exposed to something special and many years later it’s influence is still felt.

For most May 14^th 1982 was just another Saturday night. For a 13 year old in Guildford, Surrey it was he evening that shaped their album, cassette, CD and now I-pod music collection for decades to come.

Status Quo played the Princes Trust Concert at the NEC in Birmingham and the BBC showed it live.

My parents are not hugely into music. I recall some Boney-M, Mum’s Tom Jones fascination, Neil Diamond, the soundtrack from Grease, mum humming along to the Beatles on the radio, listening to Life of Brian and Dad occasionally putting on The Old Grey Whistle Test when there was really nothing else on. Nothing embarrassing to look back on, but certainly no John Peel like discovery sessions either.

In a slight side note, I like to think I’ve done more to steer my mothers CD collection than she did for me. A couple of months ago I noticed there were some Queen, Dire Straits and Meatloaf CD’s hanging around in their kitchen. Clearly she was never going to develop a taste for the Sex Pistols, Ratt and Motorhead, but I’d like some credit for what she hums along too now.

The Quo were a gateway band, they were acceptable for the BBC and my parents, yet I liked them…

Quo are a good band to listen too, the music is straightforward 12 bar blues and most of the songs have aged remarkably well. However they are at their very best as a live act, and the concert that started me along this road became the CD “Live at the NEC” and is a great concert recording from a band that did not release many.

I’ve seen them 5 or 6 times and after almost 40 years of touring there are no surprises. They play a 90 minute set, plus two encores. Everyone in the audience knows every song and we’ve come to have fun, wave inflatable guitars and scream along with Rick and Francis.

I just spent 10 minutes scanning my I-tunes library. Listening to that concert in 1982 to took me along a twisted path that led to an I-pod full of Queen, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Foo Fighters, Clash, Jam, Thin Lizzy, Who, Stones, Oasis, The Alarm, Pink Floyd, White stripes and so many others.